The invention relates to a caterpillar casting machine for producing a cast material from liquid metal and to a corresponding method.
In the prior art, horizontal block casting machines which function in the manner of a revolving caterpillar casting machine are known in particular for the production of aluminum alloys. Such a casting machine is known, for example, from EP 1 704 005 B1 or WO 95/27145. The cooling elements of the casting machine herein on the straight portions, or on spans of casting caterpillars that are disposed so as to be mutually opposite, respectively, form the wall of a moving casting mold. The casting caterpillars are in each case composed of a multiplicity of cooling blocks which are connected to one another in an endless manner and which are transported along the circulation tracks of the caterpillars. For this purpose, the cooling blocks are assembled on support elements which are placed onto chains and are thus connected to one another in an articulated manner like links of a chain.
Cooling systems for a continuous strip casting line in which a plurality of nozzles are provided for supplying cooling means are in each case known from EP 0 873 211 B2 and WO 97/26100. In the case of said cooling systems according to the prior art it is disadvantageous that no dedicated cooling zones are provided and a cooling rate per permanent mold is not established. Rather, in order for the cooling rate to be varied it is necessary for a line operator to manually perform such variations, this being problematic also with a view to operational safety.
WO 2005/068108 A1 discloses a generic caterpillar casting machine and a corresponding method.